Arsenal fans should expect a busy summer transfer window, according to John Cross of the Mirror, who provided an interesting update on Mikel Arteta’s project.
Arsenal did not sign anyone during the winter transfer window because of FFP. Last summer, they overspent by paying £105 million for Declan Rice, £65 million for Kai Havertz, £38 million for Jurrien Timber, and £3 million for David Raya. Some of us Gunners were disappointed, but Mikel Arteta is likely to make up for it this summer.
In the Mirror, Cross identifies the four targets that Mikel Arteta believes are of high quality and would like to add to his project. He states that Athletic Bilbao’s resurgent winger Nico Williams and Wolves’ Pedro Neto are of interest in joining and deputising Saka on the right wing.
He also thinks that Arsenal would look to Ivan Toney to make their attack more clinical, as it has been criticised as “blunt.” He also revealed Arsenal’s transfer desire for Martin Zubimendi to join their project, hoping that by the summer, the Spaniard will be willing to leave Real Sociedad.
Those deals will undoubtedly strengthen Arsenal, but will they? Despite the fact that three of the four may join, Thomas Partey, Emile Smith Rowe, and Eddie Nketiah are likely to leave and make way for the new signings.
With everything out of the way, what are your thoughts on the four purported Arsenal top targets, and who among Partey, Smith Rowe, and Nketiah don’t you want gone next season?
Daniel O
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The Zubimendi rumours appear to have legs. I’m not sure about Neto at all. Maybe Williams. As for Toney, he would be too expensive at that age (28) so I reckon we will back away from him. He’s also got more baggage in him than goals. A very disrespectful egotistic player to have around
If we can bring in three of those players (even if not the exact names but their quality equivalents) I’d be glad.
But if ESR leaves, as I think he should, we should replace him with a player (preferably a home-grown) who can deputize Odegaard. Morgan Gibbs-White may be?
I also expect the likes of Elneny and Cedric to leave at the end of their contracts.
The likes of Reiss Nelson and Ramsdale should also be on their way out to fetch some decent transfer fees.
I’d retain Jorginho for another year after which the likes of Charlie Patino may be ready to step in.
For the loan players, I doubt Lokonga and Tavares shall have done enough to force themselves into the team. So they should be on their way out for some decent money.
Suddenly, things are looking good, I suppose.
Zubumendi makes all kind of sense with Partey and possibly Jorginho leaving. Neto is interesting but injury record and style of play go against him for me. And Toney would be great if at a reasonable price considering he’s got 1yr left on his contract
I’d prefer Douglas Luiz than Zubimendi because of Luiz’s set-piece skills, but Zubimendi would likely be much cheaper due to his release clause
As for Nico Williams, we’ve got Trossard and Nelson to compete with Martinelli. Neto will be expensive because of his contract length at Wolves and he’s injury-prone, so we’d better give Marquinhos another chance or promote Cozier-Duberry to compete with Saka
Toney’s bad boy image would likely make him unappealing to Arsenal, unless they need a homegrown CF to replace Nketiah and play second fiddle to Jesus. The likes of Zirkzee, Vlahovic, Osimhen and David could be available in the summer, so I bet Arsenal will chase one of them
Partey and Smith-Rowe should be sold because of their injury problems. Nketiah should be shipped out too because he doesn’t offer any special abilities and we could use the sale money to fund the summer purchases
@Gai I agree with almost all your analysis. For home grown status I think Toney tick the boxes but major reports has it that Arsenal are really interested in Osimehn. Watch is African nations cup with Nigeria, he didn’t score much goals because of Nigeria tactics but he is just the perfect striker Arsenal is looking for. Tall with good physical threats, pacey and combertive in front with nice holdup. Nigeria wouldn’t have reached final of the competition without Osimehn.
I also agree on Duoglas or Onana instead of Zubimendy. All players you mentioned should be sold.
Some people here said Osimhen didn’t play well in AFCON, but I’m glad you watched him
Arsenal didn’t seem to have watched Pepe’s bad performance in AFCON before purchasing him, so I hope they’ve learned their lesson
I would imagine exits to be Tavares, Lokonga, Marquinos, Tierney and Viera. Are we really ever going to use these players in the first team? As for incoming players, I’d love to see Mbappe up front, Kvaratskhelia from Napoli and Jude Bellingham as well but I’d need to wake up in a different universe for that to happen! Can you imagine we had Rice and Bellingham in the middle of the park? If any Arsenal fan bumps into a genie in the next transfer window and gets three wishes, please remember this post 😉
Who on earth decided to put up the photo of former head Of Football Raul Sanllehi along side Edu? As if he’s likely to be involved in any of our transfer dealings😱.
Exactly Jax
I was spitting feathers
Or is it blood?
So you can have a little venom SueP?
Ha! They’ve sensibly changed it now Sue. Well done Admin👏
Apologies.
I would hate to upset Sue!
Thanks Pat.
Can’t have Sue spilling blood all over her lap top.
Ha Ha everyone!
If not for the FFP hindrance, that hindered Arsenal in the last winter transfer window from signing. Some of the in-article four mentioned players. At least two of them might have been signed by Arsenal.
But I believe that Arsenal have moved on in their not able to sign any of their top targeted targets last winter window.
As they may or not re-visit the possibility of them signing some of the above four article mentioned players next summer. As they may leave them to move for other emerging top talented new players for signing.
But would Arsenal’s season campaign in the Epl and Ucl this season. And their efforts making to win the duo competition this season be imparted negatively to see them losing out in the two races? Resulting from their failing to restrenfgtened their squad last winter window?
Well! I wouldn’t know. But let us wait to see what will happen finally at season’s end.
But nevertheless, if the Gunners continue in their current vein of exhilarating playing form. Which saw them won 4 on the trot after they had returned from their Dubai training camp. And extend their winning on the trot from 4 to 18 in the Epl unfailingly. The Arsenal will stand a very good chance to win the Epl title this season.
And win it if they win their 14 remaining matches of the season. And thus guaranteed themselves winning the title. But if Liverpool failed to win all their remaining 14 matches of the season. And the Gunners walloping teams heavily in their remaining 14 matches. So as to surpass Man City in goals difference if they won 13 of their last 14. With of course Arsenal beating them at their Etihad Stadium backyard.
My Arsenal Epl and Ucl wins dream this season WILL God’s WILLING surely come to pass unfailingly.
Who would I like to see coming to Arsenal this summer
Martin Zubamendi from Real Sociedad
Latouro Martinez from Inter Milan
Jarrad Branthwaite from Everton (although he might be too raw for Arteta)
Let’s have fun speculating buy If be surprised if even one of these deals were to come off. How do we even know that Arteta has money to spend this summer?
Nketia, Nelson, Vieira, Elneny, Sedric, Lokonga, Tierney, Partey, Georginho, should be shown the exit door to create room for at least four decent incomings preferably, a right footed CB, two Midfielders, ie DM and one who can play both right and left Midfield comfortably and a striker who is good on the ball with good passing range and also good in the Air. I’m not convinced with the idea of us going for a winger because we have got Saka, Martinelli and Trossard and Jesus can fill in very well as we saw against City. My choices would be Onana of Everton because he is tall, young, talented and can play in multiple positions across Midfield, Zubimendi for his vision, passing range and also loves to protect the back four, Gyokeres would be my choice in the no9 because he is a good finisher and can play as a left winger. I would go for a cheap option in defense ie someone who would be happy coming off the bench (Dunk) at Brighton for his experience, game reading, wages and style of play.
A raft of players will leave including two fine but injury prone players in Partey and Tierney.Our first priority should be Jorrel Hato of Ajax who at 20 is already in the senior Dutch international side and who is equally comfortable at LB or at left centre back.Neither Zinchenko nor Kwior will ever be fully effective at LB and to me Hato would be a top quality investment.In practical terms I suspect Kwior may be sold to part fund the acquisition of Hato, and Zubemendi would be an excellent replacement for Partey.
Well said Grandad, just pray that Chelsea doesn’t want to offload anyone in those positions you mentioned.
so those that will definitely are Tierney, Cedric, Elneny, Tavares, Marquinos – none have had any contribution this year to really replace, i.e. squad will notice difference of their absence, also very little incoming money for them, £10 tops
those likely to leave Partey, Lokonga, Jorginho – some money but not alot, £20m tops
others who may need a move Ramsdale, ESR, Vieira, Kiwior – should get some decent money, £70m or more
personally I would like us to look youth from within first
striker – Biereth
winger – Cozier-Duberry
attacking midfield – Patino and Nwaneri
right back – Walters
Timber to come back too
so our big gaps are Defensive Midfield (Zubemendi and/or Onana) and a Centre Back (Hato)
on todays rates those 3 alone will probably cost twice our incomings from sales
add in the £30 we are the hook for Raya and that leaves us with not alot left over
while I agree every club can benefit from an prolific clinical 30 goal a season striker – only 1 club in the PL realistically one, so 19 others could benefit from one, even Liverpool as Nunez has the same problem as ours of just not scoring anywhere near 30 goals
there in lies the issue, yes we could benefit from one, but they are very rare (Toney 14 non-pen isn’t one), they may not deliver despite huge price tag Lukaku, Holjund, and will be +£100m we don’t have
if a striker does come in then Nketiah goes out which will probably get us another £30m, but still a big hole in our finances we don’t have and one hell of a gamble on one player in one position
that is why Arsenal may be forced to use our Academy to close some of the gaps, and I for one would prefer that than gamble £100 on Toney
Arsenal1886
I love your mention of youth, and think your list a fine and realistic one. Why not fill the low depth slots with promoted players? Sends a great message, they have talent, and no need to spend on players who aren’t competing for starts every week.
For example, Elneny rarely plays, so why not have his spot filled by Patino, who can learn and develop as he works his way into the competition for playing time?
Walters can fill the RB spot vacated by Cedric, and develop while he improves and can compete for starts.
Nwaneri is an interesting case in my opinion. He is 17 I think? He would benefit from a loan to get valuable playing time (20 games or more).
Also, having watched him play (only a couple times) I don’t think Vieira has anything on the lad. In fact, Nwaneri is more competition for Vieira: I think ESR is levels above Vieira.
The others you mention can be options to take over for Trossard (for example) when his contract expires. Let’s see what Cozier-Duberry can do after a couple of seasons in the first team, but low in the depth chart, biding his time.
Sold – Tierney, Partey, Lokonga, Tavares, Marquinos.
Contract ending in June – Elneny, Cedric, Jorginho
Potential to be sold – Nelson, Nketiah
Byu – Hato, Tchouameni, Neto or Williams, Toney or Ferguson or Osimhen or Lautaro
This will leave us with
Raya, Ramsdale
White, Tomi, Saliba, Timber, Gabriel, Kiwior, Zinchenko, Hato
Rice, Tchouameni, Odegaard, Vieira, Havertz, Smith Rowe, Saka, Neto or Williams, Martinelli, Trossard, Jesus, one of the strikers mentioned above.
This is 22man squad with great depth.
Whathever happens in transfer window I trust Mikel and Edu will bring in the right players in.
Kalin – Am I right in saying that you want The Arsenal to let go ten players and bring in four?
I agree we need to bring on our Hales End players, but isn’t it asking a bit much for those young players to step up and, potentially, be defending the PL title and ensuring we get a top four finish at the minimum?
Hi Ken,
Of these ten players 4 are out on loans curently – Tierney, Lokonga, Marquinos, Tavares and two are not playing at all Elneny and Cedric. Basically they will leave without being replaced. And the other four Partey, Jorginho, Nelson, Nketiah will be replaced by the four incomings. You can see in the team I listed that these are 22 players without any youngsters among them and these will be the players to challenge for everything.
Thanks for the reply and I see where your coming from Kalin.
Zubimendi in, Partey out. Stay well clear of Ivan Toney imo. Pedro Neto ahead of Williams. Osimehn is never going to happen. Ferguson can’t get in the team ahead of Danny Welbeck, so no thank you, too over-hyped.
I think if we could bring in any of the following players it would be a great window:
Dusan Vlahovic
Martin Zubimendi
Pedro Neto/Michael Olise
I like Lokonga and ESR and I would keep Tierney as well. I would sell or let go of:
Elneny, Nketiah, Nelson, Cedric, Jorginho, Tavares, Marquinhos, and Partey.
I know for sure Neto and Zubimendi are on Arteta demand list. Both players were approached by the club in previous windows. Not sure about anyone else. Ivan Toney is a waste of time, space and definitely money. 80mil for 28 year old who is not an England regular is ridiculous.
Totally agree on all counts, Mike. Toney is a good player but well over-hyped. He’s just a Poundland Harry Kane and won’t offer anything to Arsenal we can’t get with the players we have, plus I think he’s scorched earth as far as his personality goes.